Goldmyne fiction: The sleeping dogs (Ep2)

Bounty’s heart was in his mouth. He was determined to be courageous, but he couldn’t help it. Adams was a different man at that moment, not the one he knew and loved.

At that moment, Bounty cursed the day Adams walked into his room and life. The tears threatened, and memories rushed in…

***
Unlike every other fresher, Bounty was not ecstatic about his admission! Infact, he was unhappy. Industrial Chemistry? When what he wanted was Surgical Medicine!
How on earth were those two related? He wouldn’t mind writing new exams all over again, but his parents weren’t
in support! So here he was, struggling with over four thousand freshers to get registered before the deadline.
Industrial Chemistry? Shit!
Bounty sat dejectedly in his hostel room, going through his course forms and registration kit. His room was a
room of four and he had met only one of the other three, Quadri. He hoped he’d be as nice as he looked. He
was a year three student in Anatomy.

He had barely filled a form completely when he heard the door open…

He hoped it was Quadri without looking up, for he wasn’t ready to meet any new room mate.
“Hello” That voice wasn’t Quadri’s. He raised his head to look at the most peaceful, soulful and handsome face he
had ever seen of a young man.
Bounty had never experienced such before, but then and there he knew he was in love with the new comer…well, if
not love, then something as deep and as strong that could make you do anything. He rose to his feet and smiled also noticing they were of equal height.

“My name is Adams Olatunji Lawson, a medical student, surgical medicine precisely, in my second year.”
His name was a miracle, His voice was music and his course?…
“em…I am a fresher…that’s obvious by the way” Bounty said nervously and sat when Adams did, glancing briefly
at the heavily papered table.
“My name is Bounty…Industrial chem…” Adams hated his course, he was frowning so deeply, now he had to explain to him that he hated it too but with more venom.
“I know it’s not a lovely course, I actually wanted…” He started only to stop again for Adams was talking too.
“Industrial chemistry is a good course. I was actually bothered about your name. Is that your real name, Bounty?”

“oh sorry. My name is Timilehin. Bounty is the nick name I grew up with and it stuck…I find myself saying Bounty
most often than I say my real name”
Adams smiled in understanding but frowned his face in puzzlement again.
“Bounty, why don’t you like ur course?” He asked solemnly.
“Industrial chemistry was not my first choice, not my second either. I’d always wanted to be a Surgeon” Bounty said
and shook his head sadly. Surprisingly, Adams understood him and even had nice words for his course! Well, if Adams felt Industrial chemistry wasn’t bad, then it wasn’t.

Bounty carefully attended to his registration forms and Adams was of great help.
They became fast friends. They shared things and never got tired of talking into the night. Bounty met all of
Adams friends and noticed they all had good looks. He admired everything about Adams, especially his voice…Adams had this cool and husky voice that makes
you want to listen to him.

In short, Bounty respected, admired, loved and even feared Adams a little bit!
Before long, Bounty noticed that Adams was very smart, endlessly optimistic and also a realist with a good sense of humor. He always wondered how he manages to be all those things at once… Yet he never knew there was more to Adams than he had seen.
***
“Bounty, why don’t you get a private room this session?”
Bounty looked up from the book he was studying and studied Toni who was sitting across him in the library.
“A private room? Why?” He queried, gently tapping his teeth with his pencil and looking steadily at Toni, his
girlfriend.
“em, this is your third year and I think you do not need to follow Adams shadow anymore. Your first year was with
him although by fate, your second year was with him, by your design. Please detach yourself now and stay away…”
Bounty stared incredulously at Toni.
“Really I don’t understand you, what is it you detest so much about Adams? I get this feeling that you hate him…he is my best friend you know?”

“Bounty you are wrong again. I keep telling you I don’t hate him, it’s more like I don’t trust him and em, I…
I…em…fear him too.” Toni said looking away, afraid she had said too much already. Bounty’s loyalty to Adams
was more than his love for her…at least she thought so.
Adams wasn’t what he seemed, she knew, she just knew, but Bounty was blind…
“You are scared of Adams? Tell me about it? He doesn’t look frightening to me…”
Toni decided to let it be, since Bounty was still blind. But she would make sure they stayed apart. That, she would
try.
She noticed Bounty watching her, waiting for her response and she looked away, rose and went to the bookshelves.
Despite warnings from instinct, intuition and others, Bounty’s sun still rose and set with Adams until the trouble started.
“Bounty, there’s something I want you to do for me.”
Adams seldom asked for favours, so it surprised Bounty that he was asking for his favours…of course he would do
anything for his beloved surgeon.
“What?” He asked shyly. It was amazing how Bounty behaved with Adams, with shyness and something akin to fear! But he would rather die than admit that he feared Adams. Adams was looking at him but Bounty wasn’t really sure he was looking at him…
Bounty did not know what to make of Adams request at first until the pressure became much.

“I still don’t know why Adams wants me to step down for that guy…I’d be letting a lot of people down” Bounty
complained to Toni one afternoon after receiving Adams’ call.
“Bounty, please do as he says. If he wants you to stop contesting for SUG presidential seat, please stop…I keep
saying Adams is more than you think he is…”
Well, it was happening, Toni saw it coming but could do nothing about it. She had succeeded in making Bounty
stay apart from Adams but had not being able to tear them apart.
Adams best friend was also contesting for the presidential seat, naturally, Bounty should step down.

“Toni, why are you like this? Why should I step down for him just because Adams wants? We should both run and
let the winner take all…”
“Bounty, em…these people are dangerous, really so…and you don’t want to cross their paths.”
Toni warned. Bounty was amazed at Toni’s seriousness, she couldn’t keep the fear from her voice and countenance and it puzzled Bounty.

***
“Adams, please don’t let’s fight, I will not let my people down by stepping down for Robert…why can’t we both
run and let the best man win?”
Bounty was breathing hard from trying to keep up with Adams on the walk way. Adams was begining to get on his nerves with the constant pestering. Robert was not making it easy for him either.

“Bounty, let sleeping dogs lie I tell you, you know Robert doesn’t stand a chance if you contest. Let him win. I am doing
this for your good. Step down before the election comes”
Adams said calmly not slowing his pace.
“Adams, I don’t understand you and its bothering me”
“Bounty, I will not talk about this again, I expect you to step down before the election.”
“I will not!” Adams stopped in his tracks and looked steadily at Bounty. Bounty expected him to say something more but he only smiled, shook his head and
walked away.
Bounty was confused and really angry…
***
That was the begining of the battle, only Bounty did not see the line drawn, every other person saw it and warned
him, yet he persisted. Adams had become another Adams. Bounty still saw no reason to step down!

One Sunday, Bounty took the bull by the horns and went to Adam who had become someone else totally.
“Adams please listen to me. Tell Robert to leave me alone.
He is your friend, you can talk to him. I feel like a serial killer is after me. Toni was accosted and molested, you need to see her, she was badly wounded…all because of what? Adams, please talk to them… I’m being molested by some guys I don’t know. The election is just two days away…” Adams wasn’t listening anymore.

“Bounty why are you telling me all these? You already chose trouble, so face it…”Adams told Bounty without
looking at him.
“No Adams, you need to help me. I received another threatening call. I think some cult guys are involved…”
Bounty was scared but was not about to let it show.
“oh, why do you think so?”
“The caller wants me out in 24 hours, else I would be surprised…I don’t think it’s fair to bring violence into this.
Why? For what?”
Adams looked at him for the first time, smiled and said:
“You know what to do…” Bounty gazed fixedly at Adams and nodded…
“yes, I know what to do! I have to report this!” so saying, he walked away leaving Adams to stare at his retreating
figure.
***
Bounty knew he had made the right decision! He was going to report and everything would be over. All he
needed was evidence that he was been assaulted. Toni was innocent, yet she had been beaten by those thugs!
On getting to his room, he got the shock of his life. He had guests! Four of them, and they looked angry! Thank God Toni had gone home.

“What are you doing here?” he asked foolishly.
“When are you reporting?” one of them asked looking comfortable on his mattress.
“Reporting? I…um…am not…”He stammered. Adams? Was Adams their informant?
“24hours.” another one said and they left.
“No way” he muttered to himself after they had been gone.
The only thing he would do tomorrow was go to class then go for the planned rally!
***
Bounty was sweating profusely now, looking from one man to another. He knew them all…they were all Adams
friends, Adams was their cappo! He was done for.
Adams moved close to him again and peered into his face…Bounty shivered.
“are you ready to step down?” Adams voice was calmer than ever. Bounty said nothing.

He knew Adams was mocking him. They planned to kill him. He could feel it.